Coronavirus response an unexpected, crucial test for Abe

It seems strange that a key player is missing from the government's response to the coronavirus - Akie Abe, wife of Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan.

For many people the sudden outbreak of the deadly virus is terrifying, and a paralysed Japan is currently gripped with fear. What could be better than a woman's touch to ameliorate that fear and paranoia?

In the past Mrs. Abe has been eager to become involved in social affairs. She showed her dedication to education by becoming principal of Moritomo Gakuen in Osaka and took a prominent role in assisting with her husband's popular cherry-blossom viewing parties, Sakura no Miru Kai. In addition, her previous employment with Dentsu and familiarity with modern media such as Facebook and Instagram indicate she is more comfortable with communicating with the public than her somewhat stiff husband.

In 1987 Princess Diana opened the first AIDS clinic in London and famously shook hands with an AIDS patient. That one gesture showed the world that AIDS was not passed from person to person by touch. It was a selfless act of great compassion, a beacon of light in a dark fog of fear and ignorance.

What Japan needs now is just such an act of human empathy. Akie Abe should step forward and show her compassion by visiting hospitals, care homes and orphanages to show Japan and the world that fearfully hiding behind a flimsy cotton mask is not the way to defeat this modern plague. Who better to bring succour to the suffering than Akie Abe?

A perceived lack of leadership and a sense of crisis in the early stages of the government's coronavirus response have dented public trust,

Took them long enough! After his failed Abenomics and A TON of corruption scandals and FINALLY the public's trust is dented?? Took them long enough..

In Abe's defense, other countries that have an outbreak of the COVID-19 like South Korea, Iran, Italy and China have been accused of being too slow to respond to the epidemic. I seriously doubt that there's a government that is snappy enough to be that proactive, though I want to believe that Japan should be one of those countries. It's like an ambush, the elements that first clash with the enemy are almost guaranteed to suffer casualties, it's hard to avoid. But after 4 countries have suffered, other countries should learn and become proactive. What Abe does after this rude awakening will dictate whether Japan can come back from this better or not. In the very least, it's going to be a costly lesson

Just saw that the government rushing through new laws to allow them to compel people go stay inside and to halt all events, etc

The Chinese style of dealing with this coming, I think.

:(

In Abe's defense, other countries that have an outbreak of the COVID-19 like South Korea, Iran, Italy and China have been accused of being too slow to respond to the epidemic

I will take "being Slow" over "doing Nothing". I can't believe someone can come to his defense. More than a month the 3rd largest economy in the world is still unable to ramp up PCR test. Just urging without displaying any crisis awareness will only resonate to the people as rhetoric.

I am going out searching for toilet roll. Later.

What response?

I never noticed one.

Oh yeh, those concerns brushed away like table crumbs....

China is the only country with an effective solution to this virus now

China is the only country with an effective solution to this virus now

Export it?

Why is it so slow for a broader test ? Japan is a rich nation and cost is not a problem. Is there anything we don't know and we should know ?

Stop blaming Abe for everything. The virus is from China and exacerbated by Korea. Hopefully the virus will be gone by the 10th before Abe-san will have to do anything.

@ Alfie, here’s the issue “ It was a selfless act of great compassion,”

well, he will be compare to other leaders around the world, his attempts so far is about C- and that's being very generous.

problem is that even with the most well prepared countries, if there is mis-steps such as infected,not listening to the guidelines and go on about their business, they can infect 100, 1000s

it's obvious, he is playing catch up, reacting instead of preparing so we will see the results end of the year, if his government did everything possible to save their people including foreigners.

all these panic buying will only increase virus spreading to general public, which is really sad, if you are sick ,but you are out of supplies, you have no choice but to stand in line with hundred other people.

great leaders tends to care of common people, they don't take a country to war to make million sever,

they go into a war to stop the aggressor who is causing world a great harm.

so you have to see this person's real motive, does he care of his people or does he want more power and control, i will leave up you